Category: Session 1

Written by: Brad Donegan (Session 1)

Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan by Diego de Velázquez is an incredibly famous painting from 1630 after Velázquez first visited Italy. The painting depicts Apollo, the god of the sun, coming to Vulcan’s forge to inform him of his wife’s infidelity. Vulcan, the god of fire, is the man closest to Apollo and can be characterized by the wild look of shock and anger in his eyes as he receives the news. The brilliant and otherworldly presence of Apollo is emphasized by the bright lines radiating from his head, which indicate the aura of light and truth that Apollo carries. Apollo’s crown of leaves and bright orange clothing further accentuate his status as the god of light and confirm the validity of the news of Venus’s adultery. Apollo’s radiance mainly lights Vulcan, and the shadows around the back of Vulcan’s torso represent his fury from hearing of his wife’s adultery. His hands are shrouded in shadows as he clutches his forging tools, implying that he may seek violent revenge on whoever is responsible for sleeping with his wife; the manic look in his eyes greatly indicates that he is both furious at the news and astonished at the appearance of Apollo. The other men in the forge share looks of disbelief; their mouths hang open and their eyes are wide at the sight of Apollo’s bright figure. There is a fifth man who stands in a darkened room in the background of the painting. This man is different from the rest not just because of his location; he stares at Apollo with a look of disdainful disinterest, and his location in the shadows may imply that he had something to do with the destruction of Vulcan’s marriage. All of the men in the forge are wearing very minimalistic clothing, using drab rags to cover their lower halves. This greatly juxtaposes Apollo’s bright and regal-looking clothing. The laborious and dirty work of constructing armor in the forge further juxtaposes the positions of Apollo and the men in the forge. This painting makes me feel the fantastical status of Apollo’s figure while simultaneously accentuating Vulcan’s fury towards the news. The way that the painting uses shadows and light to represent the turmoil of the characters is fascinating and I think effectively tells the story of Venus’s infidelity.

 

Written by: Rory Hess (Session 1)

Today I studied a painting called Las Meninas by Diego Velaquez. Velaquez, who made the painting in 1656, was commissioned by King Phillip IV for all royal portraits. While this painting was not commissioned by the King directly, the subject matter is the royal family. The artwork is centered around the Infanta Margaret Theresa, who Valequez illuminates with natural light and by putting Thersa in a white dress. She is surrounded by two ladies-in-waiting or las meninas. 

At first glance, I thought it to be a fairly straightforward painting of the princess, but as I took a closer look the irregularities jumped out at me. First on the right side of the painting, positioned in front of the princess, are two jesters. For jesters to get this type of attention in a painting is very untraditional, especially their location. Another irregularity that left me with a feeling of uneasiness is the direction every subject is looking in the painting. Except for three figures, everyone painting is looking straight at me or really the viewer of the painting. This includes a figure which is the artist Velaquez himself. Velaquez appears on the left side of the painting tucked behind a large canvas holding a paintbrush and palette.

Finally, on a mirror hung up on the wall in the back of the painting, there is a blurry image of the King and Queen posing for a portrait. This depiction of the King and Queen is very unusual at the time. Typically when they were painted, they would only be shown in a very clear portrait, dressed up in their best clothing and posing in powerful stances. Although it may not appear to be the most flattering image of the King and Queen, to me, the light surrounding the Princess highlights both Spain’s hope and her purity as a leader. 

This mirror also implies that the King and Queen are the ones being looked at by the figures in the painting so in a way whoever is in the audience is essentially the King and Queen. Although this painting is a very indirect way to comment about royalty at the time, it is still a very bold move. 

Ultimately, I was very impressed with how well Velaquez used light and especially perspective, to create a very untraditional and powerful representation of the state of Spain at the time. Years later, Velaquez’s cleverness still resonates with the country of Spain and gives tons of insight into the spirit of the time. This painting is a must-see in person as images can not capture its intricate details, massive scale, and deliberate brush strokes. Definitely one of the most impressive pieces of art I have ever seen in person due to its historical and artistic value.

 

Written by: Emma Coonan (Session 1)

Throughout the Middle Ages, many developments and changes occurred in Spain. Faith was a main theme of the time period and three main religions were present: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Today, if you ask many people in Spain about the history during the time period of Christopher Columbus, they do not know about the presence of the Jews and Muslims in Spain. Nevertheless, they both had an important influence due to the many technological, scientific, and literature advances.

Many important events took place during this time, especially in 1492: the fall of Granada, the expulsion of Jews (along with the presence of Muslims), and the expedition of Christopher Columbus. The cultures of the Jews and Muslims had a great effect on the development of Spain as a country. For example, the Jews worked as carpenters, shoemakers, and merchants that assisted with everyday necessities. In addition to these useful occupations, they created astronomical tables that showed information about the stars to help with navigation at sea, which had a lasting impact and is still relevant today. Additionally, the Muslims greatly impacted scientific, literature, and philosophical advances resulting in the rise of intellectual literature in Spain. However, conflicts of religion occurred and the Muslims were expelled to the north of Africa, but the Jews stayed and because they were not allowed to practice their religion, they had to do so in secret, resulting in them being called “marrones,” or pigs. Why a country would want to expel a group of people who greatly contributed to society remains a mystery, and was pointed out by the Ottoman Empire, who happily welcomed them, saying “How can anyone call Ferdinand wise when he impoverishes his own kingdom to enrich mine” (Fintz). 

Unfortunately, those who practiced in secret were sometimes discovered and then executed, tainting their family name for the rest of history. As seen in class, the Jewish slums, where the Jews were forced to live, still exist today in Spain. The mosques where the Muslims practiced still exist; for example, the Abu Bakr, which is seen in the included photo. These landmarks in Spain show the lasting impact and influence of the Jews, Muslims, and Christians in the Middle Ages.

Written by: Emma Coonan (Session 1)

En los tiempos medievales, habían muchos desarrollos y cambios en España. La fe fue el tema principal en este tiempo y habían tres religiones diferentes: cristianismo, judaísmo, y islam. Ahora, si preguntas a mucha gente sobre la historia durante el tiempo de Cristóbal Colón, no conocen la presencia de los judíos y los mulsumanes en España. Sin embargo, los dos tenían una importante influencia porque hicieron muchos avances tecnológicos, científicos, y literaturas.

Muchos eventos importantes ocurrieron durante esta edad, especialmente en 1492: la caída de Granada, la expulsión de los judiós (y la presencia de los mulsumanes), y la expedición de Cristóbal Colón. Las culturas de los judiós y los mulsumanes tenían un gran efecto en el desarrollo de España como un país. Por ejemplo, los judiós trabajaron como carpinteros, zapateros, y comerciantes que ayudaron con las cosas diarias. Además de estos trabajos útiles, hicieron tablas astronómicas que mostraron información sobre las estrellas para ayudar con la navegación en el mar que tenían un impacto significativo y todavía es relevante hoy. Los musulmanes trajeron avances en los científicos, literaturas, y filosofía que resultó en el aumento de la literatura intelectual en España. Sin embargo, los conflictos de religión ocurrieron y los mulusumanes se expulsaron al norte de África, pero los judiós se quedaron, pero, porque no podían practicar su religión, tenían hacerlo en secreto y se llabaman “marrones.” Es un misterio porque un país querría expulsar un grupo de personas que añaden muchos elementos positivos a la sociedad y el imperio ottoman se dio cuenta de esto y les invitó diciendo, “Cómo alguien puede llama a Ferdinand es sabio mientras empobrece su reino para ayudar mio” (Fintz).

Desafortunadamente, a veces, ellos que practicaban en secreto, fueron descubiertos y ejecutados y el nombre de su familia se arruinó para siempre. En clase, vimos los barrios bajos  donde los judíos tenían que vivir, que todavía existen en España. Para los mulsumanes, las mezquitas, como el Abu Bakr en Madrid en la foto, todavía existen. Estos lugares demuestran la influencia de los judiós, musulmanes, y los cristianos en la edad media.

Written by: Logan Gooley (Session 1)

Madrid es muy hermosa. Landing in the city in the evening, my first steps in Madrid were of the hustle and bustle of dinnertime. The evening light gave the city a charm that gave a warm feel, almost as if the streets were inviting us to explore them. People flowed through the streets as if it was their only responsibility. The city had a home feel to it, unlike the typical skyscraper-lined cities of the United States such as New York and Boston. 

The narrow walking streets created a sense of a social community. One in which neighbors interacted with one another frequently, and seemed to genuinely care for each other. You could see in the small cafes that individuals were having personalized conversations and interactions with loved ones, showing how deep of a sense of community the city holds.

The following day, as I visited El Retiro Park, I witnessed the beauty of nature mixed with the beauty of Spain. The park, which was so amazingly expansive that I could not witness its entirety, had a peaceful and quiet nature to it despite the crowds of people there. However, the parts that I was able to view held amazing birds that I had never seen before in the United States. 

The bird that most caught my attention was what I know to be called a Magpie. Photographing it proved quite difficult, as its sporadic movements made it nearly impossible to get a still photo of. Its black and white nature resembled that of a penguin at first glance, but upon further watching of the bird, its tail of dark teal created a beautiful accent to its black wings. It was by far the most interesting yet majestic animal I have seen during my stay in Madrid. 

As I moved more toward the park center and the pond of El Retiro, I was amazed by the Monument to Alfonso XII. I learned that the monument was designed by José Grases Riera until he died in 1919, and then was finished by Teodoro Anasagasti, who never altered the original design. Learning about Grases Riera’s death and Anasagasti’s completion of his work was just another show of Madrid’s deep care and respect for the beauty and uniqueness of art.